Whispers Of Alex
by DelilaJules
Summary: "Leave me alone, Tony!" Lina shouted, tears coming into her eyes. "Stop pretending like you care about me! Nobody's cared about me since the accident. The only one they ever cared about was Alex!" Tony starts acting strangely on a case, and the team learns about the things he tried so hard to forget. Crappy summary. Rated T for language and drunkenness in later chapters. R
1. Chapter 1

**New story I'm working on. WARNING: Prototype. May include suckishness, because that's how my stories are sometimes. First chapters especially because I'm trying to keep a lot concealed while letting some out. So yeah. First few chapters are short and kind of boring. Sorry. I also just thought I would go ahead and post this before chpt. 11 of the other story I'm writing.  
**

**Chapter 1, Ziva.**

"Grab your gear," Gibbs said as he walked past the bullpen.

"Where we goin, Boss?" Tony asked.

"Richmond."

**At crime scene**

"She kept to herself a lot, and I never really saw her with anyone 'cept her boy." the man, the lieutenant's neighbor, said.

"Her boy?" I asked.

"Yeah, her son. Think his name is Jordan."

"Hello?" Tony said into his cell phone. A look of panic showed on his face and he rushed behind the van. He looked even more panicked wen he got back.

"Are you okay?" I asked him.

"Fine," he said gruffly.

"I don't believe you."

"Well that's your problem, David."

"Tony, what are you hiding?"

"Nothing!" But even as he said it, I saw his eyes flicker with worry.

"Tony, you're going to high school'" Gibbs said, walking back toward us.

"I'm what, Boss?" Tony asked unsurely.

"Jordan Roberts," Gibbs continued. "has not been seen since his mother was murdered. You and Ziva are going to check with his friends to see where he might have gone."

**High school**

"How well did you know Jordan?" I asked the kid.

He shrugged. "Jordan didn't really hang out with a lot of people lately. Mostly was with his girlfriend."

"Does she have a name?"

"Lina. Anderson, I think." Tony froze at this.

"Where is she?"

"Heck if I know. I haven't seen her all day."

**Back at HQ**

****"Look for anyone named Lina Anderson in the Richmond area," I told McGee..

He typed into his computer. "Nothing."

"Try Angelina," Tony muttered from over at his desk.

More typing. "Found her," McGee said, pulling a mug shot onto the screen. It was of a girl with jet-black hair, green eyes, and a lip piercing. I looked over at Tony and he was staring at the image in shock. "Charged with shoplifting four times in the past year, been thought to have a fake I.D, but they haven't been able to prove it."

"She a foster kid?" Tony asked, not taking his eyes off the picture.

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

He shrugged. "Just a hunch."

**Later**

****_"-Her son has been missing since."_ The TV reporter said. A picture of Jordan came up. _"He was last seen with his girlfriend, Angelina Anderson, who has also been missing. She is believed to be on the run and may be using the alias Lynn Thomas. Anyone with information is asked to-"_

__Tony shut the TV off. "What is it that's bothering you!?" I asked.

"I'm fine!" he snapped, storming off.

"What's his problem?" McGee asked.

I held up Tony's cell phone. "That's what I'm about to find out."

Just then, I felt someone grab the phone out of my hand. "Don't touch my stuff!" Tony said. I saw him going into his call log and delete something. The only part I saw was "B".B? Who was B?

**Yes, I know, kind of boring. Sorry.**


	2. Chapter 2

**So sad... Finally get some time to relax over the weekend and I have about three or four projects ALL due Tuesday. Plus I'm gonna miss the marathon because I'm taking some stupid class at the Y. Short chapter today.**

**Chapter 2, Tony**

****_"Help me..." _The words replayed themselves over in my my mind. I should have found her. I just couldn't believe she called me, after all these years.

I dialed back the number.

"You have reached the voicemail of: Lynn Thomas." The automated voice said.

Damn it.

"Where are you!? Call me back. It's important." She will be in _so _much trouble when I find her...

**Ange(lina)**

****"Eric?" I whispered into the phone.

"Where are you?"

"Listen, I need a lift. I'm in Norfolk."

He sighed. "May I ask where you're headed?"

"D.C."

**Later**

****I leaned against the cold window, listening to the soft pitter-patter of rain outside.

"You gonna be okay?" Eric asked after a while.

I nodded softly, then remembered he couldn't see me. "Yeah, I'll be fine." I said, clutching the ticket to my chest.

"Don't disappear, alright?" Eric said. "Call me when you get the chance."

"Can't make any promises," I replied as I stepped onto the busy street. I watched as his car slowly pulled away. This was it.

"All passengers on route 3142, last call." the Greyhound announcer called over the loudspeaker.

Yup. This was definitely it.

**Also, as I have never ridden a Greyhound bus, I have absolutely no idea if they have an announcer or a loudspeaker. Just saying that.**


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm probably going to update once a week, no, not each story each week. So starting next week I will either update this story or my other one. Just putting that out there.~DJM**

* * *

**Chapter 3, Tony  
**

"Boss, we got a hit on Angelina's BOLO." McGee said, gazing at his computer.

I leaped up from my seat. "Where?"

He looked at me suspiciously.

"Where, McGee?" Gibbs said, walking into the bullpen.

"Pittsburgh. Said to be on a Greyhound headed for Sacramento."

"Where is she now?"

Clicking. "Next transfer is in Salt Lake City, Utah, in a few hours."

"Check the passenger list for any aliases she has."

More clicking. "There is a Lynn Baker, age 15."

"Tell them to hold her at the next transfer."

**Greyhound bus, Angelina**

I pulled the blanket tighter around my shoulders and pressed my check against the bus wall. _I'm almost there. Just two more transfers._

The ride had been exhausting. Almost three days nonstop. I checked my watch. 08:09 pm.

"Excuse me, ma'am, where are we?" I asked, tapping the shoulder of the lady in front of me.

She smiled. "Let's see," Tapping, probably one of those iPod location thingies. "Evanston, Wyoming." She looked at me softly. "Are you meeting someone?" Gosh, she probably thought I was, like, ten or something.

"Um, yeah. My... half brother. Alex." I lied.

"I'm Michelle. You?"

"Lynn."

"It's nice to meet you, Lynn." She looked at me worriedly. "You okay?"

I nodded. "Just a bit tired."

* * *

**A/N: There is no half-brother. She made it up! Alex is someone else you haven't met yet. Just putting that out there...**

* * *

**Salt Lake City, Utah  
**

"Lynn? Lynn, we're here." Michelle said, shaking me awake.

I rubbed my eyes and walked off the bus.

"There's a bench over there," she said, pointing.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" I asked as we sat down.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you don't even know me. This isn't exactly typical behavior toward strangers."

She shrugged. "I guess it has a lot to do with my job. Social worker."

I tensed. Social worker. Bad, bad, bad, bad. Nine years of social workers. Too much.

"You need anything? Are you hungry? We're going to be stuck here for about two hours."

I looked around. "I'm good,"

"Okay then."

I checked my watch again. 10:20. Arg! "What I really need is some coffee," I blurted out.

"You drink coffee?"

"Yeah," I said, pulling out my wallet and walking over to the shop. "My, er, friend drank it, and I guess the stuff kinda grew on me."

* * *

**One hour later**

* * *

****11:40. Just ten minutes left. Hurry up, bus!

I pulled out my iPod and turned the music on.

"Lynn!" Michelle said after a while, placing a hand on my shoulder. "You'll go deaf with you're music that loud." She held the ear bud up to her ear. "Nice choice,"

"Thanks," I said. "You're not like other social workers," I blurted out suddenly. Crap. Shit. She's definitely onto me now.

"Huh?"

I bit my lip. "They're usually not this nice."

"Speaking from personal experience?" she asked, getting up.

I shrugged. "I guess,"

She didn't say anything for a while as we walked toward the bus. "Lynn, did you run away?"

"Lynn Baker, you're coming with us!"

* * *

**Just in case you don't know, that last line was the peoples who guard the bus stop or whatever. Like I said, I am about as unfamiliar as you can get when it comes to public transit. And I just now figured out how to do the line-divider thingys, so forgive me if I overdo it with them. REMEMBER: The more reviews I get, the faster I write! Same goes with follows/faves. Bye!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Unfortunately, I've had a bit of writers block. But since I had more of this story unposted, I decided to just use it. Important!: I would like ad least THREE new e-mails concerning this story that either say 'new follower', 'new favorite', or 'new review'. ESPECIALLY new review. Reviews help me write. To those of you who read my other story, I'll try to update ASAP. But one good thing is happening today...  
SEASON TEN PREMIERS AT 8!  
I, for one, am MAJORLY exited.  
**

**P.s: as for Tony's middle name, not 100% sure on that cause I got it off a wiki. But yeah, I checked. So if I am wrong, blame them. And I know, another crappy, short chapter. I am seriously out of it this week.  
**

* * *

**Chapter 4, Tony**

* * *

****I burst into the room.

"Oh, you are so dead!" we said at the same time. I grabbed her by the wrist. "You have a _lot _of explaining to do,"

"Tony?" Ziva asked.

"Not now!"

Lina writhed in my grasp. "Ow! Get the hell of me!" She gripped the door frame. "Anthony Dimitri DiNozzo! Let go of me! _Now_!"

We all stood still for a moment. I let go of Lina's wrist without realizing it, and she immediately layed down on the floor.

"How- how does she know your full name?" Ziva asked.

"Apparently I didn't introduce her correctly. Meet miss Angelina Violetta DiNozzo."

She stared at me open-mouthed for a second. "She is your sister?" I shook my head. "Daughter!?"

"No," I said. "My cousin."

* * *

"I can explain," I said. "Later." I turned to Lina. "Get up."

She smirked. "I know where you're taking me. If you really want me to come, you'll have to drag me there."

"Get. Up."

"No."

I sighed. "Forgot you were so stubborn."

"Nine years will do that."

"C'mon," I said, changing the subject. I pulled her up by the elbows.

"She is not the only one with explaining to do," Ziva said as we walked out to the car.

This should be interesting...

* * *

**I feel really stupid now... It looked short on the paper, and it looks just plain puiny (pew-ney) here. I'll see if I can fit in another chapter tomorrow. It's okay if you hate me for this. I might hate me too.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Sorry, I was gonna post Tuesday, but I hit some button and lost it all :( . So here's another chapter for y'all.**

* * *

"Found her, Boss." McGee said.

"And?"

"There's something else I should probably tell you," he paused. "She-"

"Ouch, Tony! Loosen up or you're gonna leave a bruise!" Lina said as I pulled her from the elevator.

"Sit," I growled.

"Her-" McGee began again.

"I can speak for myself!" Lina said defensively.

"Quiet,"

"Her last name isn't Anderson, that's her foster parent's last name." He looked at me hesitantly before continuing. "Her given name is Angelina DiNozzo."

Gibbs looked at me for an explanation.

"Cousin,"

He walked away but stopped to whisper something in my ear. "Ya just broke rule number ten, DiNozzo. She's our main suspect."

* * *

"Bring her up to interrogation,"

"Boss, she didn't do it. She's a lot of things, but murderer isn't one of them."

"How would you know what she is, Tony?" Ziva said from behind me. "Apparently you haven't seen her in nine years."

"Brought your girlfriend back, Tony?" Lina piped up.

"She is _not _my girlfriend!"

"I am _not _his girlfriend!"

"Well then when are you getting one? Seriously, Tony, you don't have much longer. I mean, only about ten more years and you'll qualify for AARP."

"Did you really just call me _old_?" I said as I yanked her back into the elevator.

"Um, yeah. I did. But last time I checked, that wasn't illegal." She stumbled a bit and gripped the railing. "Hey, where we going?"

"I just have to make a quick run to Abby's lab."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Oh, so you don't trust me to be alone?"

"Well, no. I don't, especially considering you were running away when we found you."

* * *

"Why is Lina the prime suspect!?" I whisper-yelled to Abby.

"Can I whisper too?" a voice whispered from behind me.

I jumped. "Lina!"

"You should have seen the look on you're face!" she said in between laughs.

"Is it true?" Abby asked, looking from me to Lina and back again.

"Is what true?"

"About you and her being cousins,"

"Um, yeah." I looked over at Lina and she was just taking it all in. I tapped her on the head. "You get lost or something?"

"I think I'm either high or somehow entered Narnia," she murmured.

Abby laughed. "Nope. Just my lab."

Lina whirled her head around, suddenly realizing Abby's presence. "Wow." She peered at the large spiderweb tattoo on Abby's neck. "Is that... real?"

Abby nodded. "Yup,"

Lina turned to me. "Can I stay here? Please?"

I looked over at Abby.

"Fine by me," she said, a hint of a smile in her voice. I could tell she was happy to have a kindred spirit around.

* * *

**Ziva**

* * *

"So where is the family resemblance?" I said to him, crossing my arms over my chest. "Or are you lying?"

"I'm not lying," he said, walking over to his desk. "And as for the first question, I'd like to know the answer myself."

"What do you mean?"

"She didn't look like this last time I saw her." He opened one of the drawers and pulled out a yellow envelope. "Of course, that _was _nine years ago, but still."

"What _did _she look like, then?"

He held up a photograph of a little girl with braided dark brown hair and green eyes. She was smiling and soaking wet, her arm draped around someone else, and that's where the tear was. "This," Tony said, pointing to the girl. "This is the Lina I remember."

"She looks so... different."

"Yeah," he muttered, tossing the envelope back into the drawer. "I know."

* * *

**Later, Tony**

* * *

"Lina?" I called as I walked into the lab. Music was blasting from the room.

She grinned at me. "You must never get bored, Tony."

"That's nice. Time to go." I said quickly as I pulled her down from the table.

"Oh," she said disjointedly. "Bye, Abby."

"Bye,"

* * *

**Night, Lina, Tony's house**

* * *

I closed my eyes and instantly began thinking about Christoper. One out of the two people who actually gave a damn about me. I saw his face in my mind. I remember how some nights I would start crying because I missed my family. He would come in and try to comfort me, stroking my hair and singing. I know it sounds weird, a guy who sings, but it was just Chris and me, and that was the way we liked it.

I lightly stroked the pillow with my thumb and whispered the song to myself in the dark of the night. It was a pretty song, the words seemed to flow perfectly together and I liked it, even though I didn't know what they meant.  
The song itself was about a man who was in love with this lady, but he couldn't marry her because he didn't have enough money. I thought that was sweet and it kind of related to me back then, both me and the man wanted something we couldn't have.

The words played themselves over in my head, and I soon started to find myself drifting into sleep.

"Lina?" Tony's voice called softly as light drifted into the room. "You okay?"

"Yeah," I said. "I'm fine."

The door closed and I went back to my insomniatic struggle.

_Oh, Christopher. You were the nicest out of them all..._

* * *

**Questions to review/think about:**

**Who is Christopher? How does he play a role in Lina's life?  
**

**Please review!  
**

**I was gonna put the song up but it's all in a different language.  
**

**Predictions, ideas, overall opinion of the chapter.  
**

**Thank you! Sorry it took me SO long to update! Please don't hate me for it!  
**

**~DJM  
**


	6. Mini Scene: Somewhere in Ohio

**So this is what I call a Mini-Scene. Kind of self-explanatory. Oh, and apparently I need to remind myself NOT to take the keys off of my laptop, because now the space bar is not workingverywell. I cando spaces, itjusttakes me a bit. :(**

**Now, a little explaining: While this scene may appear irrelevant at this point, it is HIGHLY important later in the story.  
**

**Yeah, nevertakeing the keysoffagain.**

**But I'm just goning to say now, the two girls in this scene are 'sisters', older one about fifteen, younger about five or six.**

**Delila-Jules**

* * *

**Mini-Scene; Somewhere in Ohio**

* * *

"Ready?" the little girl asked excitedly, running to the window.

The older girl nodded. It was a ritual, something they did every night.

She pulled the little girl into her lap, and together they recited the age-old nursery rhyme.

_Starlight, star bright_

_First star I see tonight  
_

_I wish I may, I wish I might  
_

_Have the wish I wish tonight.  
_

The older girl picked the child up and carried her to her room. "Goodnight, Brianna." she said, laying a kiss on the child's forehead.

"Goodnight, Alice."

* * *

**NOTE: Alice is NOT her real name!**

**REVIEWS PLEASE!  
**


	7. Chapter 6

**Important!: I only have TWO reviews on this story, both of which are for the first chapter. So, starting now, I am expecting to get ad least ONE review.**

**Seriously people, that's not too much to ask, is it?  
**

**No. It's not.  
**

**And I'm very glad that those two did review, although I'm not sure what they meant by 'confusing'.  
**

**So reviews would be greatly appreciated.  
**

* * *

**Chapter 6, Lina  
**

* * *

"You're in a lot of trouble, you know." Tony said as we drove down the road to his work.

"Oh yeah?" I scoffed, hugging my knees to my chest. "What for?"

"Well, at the moment, you're the prime suspect in a murder investigation..."

I lurched forward. "What!?"

"Look, calm down." he said, glancing back at me. "Just, you know, tell the truth."

I pulled up my hood. "My life is just a fucking bowl bowl of cherries, isn't it?" I said sarcastically.

He sighed as we pulled up to the building. "I know it hasn't been easy, but-"

"Just save it, Tony." I snapped at him.

* * *

**Interrogation**

* * *

The older man walked in and at down in the chair across from me. "Why were you at Jordan's house?"

I shrugged, not about to show his I was intimidated. "Same reason I'm usually there. Cathy wasn't home and I had nothing better to do."

"Cathy?"

"Yeah, my foster mom. She's gone a lot lately, so Jordan lets me crash at his house." I said. "Figured you would know who she was, considering you all were snooping in my file."

He opened up a manila folder and pulled out a sheet of paper. "We found your fingerprints on the weapon."

I stared at the picture. It was a knife. A kitchen knife. The _same _kitchen knife I had used just four days ago. And it was a murder weapon.

"Why did you have it?" he asked me sternly.

To my surprise, I burst out laughing. I couldn't stop. I probably looked like a lunatic. The man stared at me in shock. "I'm sorry," I said, trying to calm down. "I had spent the night there, like I said, and I was kind of hungry. So I got out a can of soup, but the can opener wasn't working." I started to laugh again. "Sometimes I have these, well, Jordan calls them 'glitches'. But anyway, I took the knife and cut the can open. The funniest part is the can opener wasn't even broken, just unplugged!"

"Where were you after that?" he asked, not amused.

"School," I said, a little too quickly.

He glanced at me doubtfully.

"Okay, so maybe I was out having drinks with some friends. Sue me,"

"You drink often?"

I bit my lip. "Not exactly,"

"Where is Jordan?"

I rubbed my wrist, yet another sign of nervousness. "Well, um, see, here's the thing... I don't know."

* * *

**Well... what did you think?**

**Possible review topics:  
**

**Who do you think killed Jordan's mom?  
**

**What do you think happened to Jordan? Where do you think he is?  
**

**COME ON PEOPLE!  
**

**YOU CAN DO IT!  
**


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

* * *

"What do you mean you don't know!?"

I let put a sigh and explained. "He called me when I was going home. Said he was going out of state for a while and that I needed to come, too."

"Okay, I need you to describe the conversation as best you can."

"He said, 'Li, I'm going away. I'm not sure how long'. Then I said, 'Why!? I need you _here_!'. The he was like, 'I know, but something's come up at home And you need come with me'. Then I said, 'I can't'. Then he said, 'You and I both know Cathy won't notice. It's not a request. Look, I gotta go. Get home. There should be a ticket for a bus as well as some other stuff. It's on the kitchen counter'. Then he hung up." I tried to hold back tears. "He sounded so scared, Gibbs! Jordan, _my _Jordan, does NOT scare."

He paused. "He wanted you to meet him in Sacramento?"

I nodded. "That's what the paper said. And I believed it, ad least, at first. But he didn't sound like he was there. Or on a bus, plane, anywhere like that."

He looked at me skeptically. "How do you know all this?"

"Okay, I know this is going to sound weird, but, you know how some people have a photographic memory? They remember images or something like that?" I sighed. "Well, I remember sound that way."

"I need you to tell me _every_ detail you remember."

I smiled. "I can do better than that," I said, pulling out my cell phone. "I recorded the conversation."

He got up and walked towards the door. "Good work, DiNozzo."

And then to someone in the hallway, "Take her to Abby's lab."

DiNozzo. It had been a long time since I had been called by that name. It felt nice to hear it again.

* * *

"There," I said. Abby was playing the recording over, checking for anything to give us to where Jordan was. "There's something in the background. Very faint."

"Was it higher or lower than his voice?"

"A tad bit higher, but it's kind of muffled." She moved the little green line up and played it again. "Did you hear it?"

"What?" she asked.

"It was like a humming. A _mmmm_. But in the regular one, there was something else, lower than his voice." She moved the line again and I heard it. "There! A _clank_!"

"Generator?"

"No...

She paused for a minute. "Elevator shaft!"

"Why would Jordan be in a basement?"

A look of pity crossed her face. "Well, based on the current circumstances, I'd say he's either hiding-"

"Or he's been kidnapped."

* * *

**Well...?**

**What did you think?  
**

**REVIEWS!  
**

**Predictions; questions; overall opinion of the chapter...  
**

**You know, the usual. Ad least one review.  
**


	9. Chapter 8

**I now understand some of why there is confusion as to characters. If any of you get confused about something, just tell me and I'll try to clarify.**

* * *

**Chapter 8, Lina**

* * *

The realization hit me like a punch to the face. I knew he wasn't hiding. "If... if the elevator shaft was on, that means someone was in it." A feeling of dread filled me. "Oh God, Abby! He really _is_ kidnapped, isn't he!?"

She engulfed me in a hug. "I don't know, but we'll find him."

"Don't make any promises you can't keep."

"I _will_ keep it."

"This is all too much," I said, slumping against the wall. "Either way, someone is after him. Why does this have to be happening!?"

"Do you think it has something to do with his mother's murder?"

"Caroline is _dead_!?" I stammered. "I knew someone got killed, I just didn't know it was _her_. Oh my God..." By this point I didn't try to hold the tears back, I just let them fall. They came out in long, deep, sobbing wails; like how a banshee might sound.

Abby kneeled next to me, trying to comfort me. "I thought you knew,"

"Well I didn't,"

She reached up to get a tissue and softly wiped the make-up that was now dripping down my face. "You knew her well?"

I nodded. "She was like a second mother to me,"

She looked confused. "Second?"

Crap. "Um, yeah," I said quietly. "I gotta go." And with that, I ran back up to the bullpen.

* * *

***Flashback***

* * *

_"I'm back!" I called, walking through the door._

_Caroline laughed, flicking wet clay off of her hands. "You might as well just say 'I'm home'. You practically live here already."  
_

_I smiled and walked over to the parlor, her 'office'.  
_

_"Jordan isn't here yet, just so you know," she continued, wiping the remainder of the clay off on a stained rag. "But he told me not to let you run off."  
_

_" 'Kay," I replied, sitting on sitting on the arm of a chair.  
_

_"Sorry I'm late!" Jordan's voice yelled, followed by the slamming of the door. "Hey Mom, can I use the pottery wheel?"  
_

_"Sure," she called. "I was just putting this in the kiln."  
_

_A while after she left the room, Jordan looked over at me. "Have you ever used a pottery wheel?"  
_

_I shook my head and he guided me over to it. "Sit." So I did. He stood behind me, and I felt the wet, slick clay slide over my fingers.  
_

_"You know something about wet clay?" Jordan asked, interlocking his fingers around mine.  
_

_I laughed. "Besides the fact that it's slippery, no."  
_

_He pressed my hands against the clay. "If you hit it, it will leave a dent at first, but eventually it smooths out."  
_

_"Hmm,"  
_

_"I know you've been through a lot," he said. "But maybe you might smooth out, ya know?"  
_

_I smirked. "Maybe," I told him. "Wonder if she's 'smoothed out' by now."  
_

_"Who?" Jordan asked.  
_

_"My sister."  
_

_"Never told me you had a sister," he said disappointedly.  
_

_I shrugged. "Didn't think I needed to,"  
_

_He paused. "Older or younger?"  
_

_"Younger," I said. "By three minutes."  
_

_"Twins?"  
_

_"Yeah. Identical." I took my hand off the clay, turning off the machine. "I think I should go home now."  
_

_"No," he said. "It's late, and there are a lot of creeps out there."  
_

_"I can take care of myself," I said defiantly. "I'm tough."  
_

_He pulled me into a kiss. "Maybe," he whispered. "But there's always someone tougher."  
_

* * *

__**A/N: Well... what did ya think?  
**

**REVIEWS!  
**

**Predictions, opinion of chapter/story, questions, etc.  
**

**Heck, favorite character, if you want!  
**


	10. Chapter 9

**Well, apparently I didn't say it the last time, so I'll say it now.**

**You know the drill. One review AT LEAST per chapter.**

**Please see my note at the bottom!  
**

* * *

**Chapter 9, Lina**

* * *

Tony grabbed my wrists as I ran out of the elevator. "Get off!" I said, trying to yank free.

"How old are you, Angelina?" he asked me. I knew it was a test. I could tell.

I didn't answer, just continued to pull away.

"Answer me!"

"Hey!" Gibbs barked. "Let go of 'er."

Reluctantly, Tony released me. "Sorry, Boss."

Gibbs looked at me and then back at Tony. "What the hell was that about, DiNozzo!?"

"He-"

"She-"

He put up his hand and then pointed at Tony. "_This _DiNozzo."

"She's 15, Gibbs! Fifteen! _Not _21!" Tony ranted.

"You _saw _that!?" I yelled.

"Both of you, SHUT UP!" Gibbs said. He turned to Tony. "You need to focus on your job." He then faced me. "You're the closest thing we have to a witness. So we'll need to ask you some more questions."

I sighed. "Look, can I just go home? This is a lot to take in."

He glanced at Tony, who shrugged. "Okay,"

I brushed past them and went into the elevator again, deciding where to go. Then I knew.

* * *

"And who are you?" an older man asked me as I walked into the room marked 'Autopsy'.

"I could ask you the same thing," I said, leaning against the wall.

"I'm Dr. Mallard," he said, extending his hand. "But they call me Ducky."

I shook his hand. "Angelina DiNozzo. I go by Lina."

"So you are Anthony's cousin?"

I smiled. "Word spreads fast."

"Indeed it does."

I looked over to the row of metal drawers. "She in there?"

H e paused. "Yes."

"May I?" I asked, glancing over at him.

He gave me a quick nod and I opened up the drawer slightly.

"Caroline," I whispered. I closed the drawer again and ran back up.

* * *

"Tony, I want to go home," I demanded. He didn't look up. "Now."

"I'm busy," he muttered. "Give me a minute."

"Fine," I said. "I'll just drive myself." I walked towards the elevator.

"Wait!" Tony called, running after me.

I smirked. "And the funniest part of this is that you failed to realize I don't even have the keys."

"Knowing you, it might not be my car."

I leaned against the door as Tony drove home. Well, it was _his_ home. I didn't have a home, and yet I had many. Four of the I remember. The one in New York, Cathy's, Jordan's, and Christopher's. Gosh, I really had to stop thinking about him.

Instead I checked stuff on my iPod. You know, this and that.

"Lina?" Tony said quietly.

"Hmm?" I muttered.

"Do you... know where she-"

"No," I said coldly. "I haven't seen her in nine years." I looked back at my iPod. "Tony! Floor it!"

"Why?" I couldn't see him in the dark, but he sounded confused.

"Just drive!"

"Explain."

I smiled slightly. "It's stupid. Forget I said anything."

"What?"

"It's just this show I watch," I admitted. "Everyone says that I'm addicted. They're probably right. Jordan..." I gulped, remembering where Jordan was right now. Or rather where he _wasn't_.

We were approaching Tony's apartment now. "Jordan what?"

I smiled at the memory. "He... dressed up like a walker. Tried to scare me. It worked."

"What's a walker?" he asked, sounding confused.

I sighed. "It's... you'd have to watch it to understand."

"Nah, I'll leave that ti you," he said as he got out of the car.

I smirked. It was nice to have something of my own.

* * *

**12 AM**

* * *

I jerked awake and realized two things. One, that the TV was still on. And tow, the my cell phone was ringing. Not only was it ringing, but it was Eric's ring tone.

I huffed and pressed the 'accept call' button. "Hello?" I said.

"Lina, are you okay? I told you to-"

"I know what you told me to do. And I'm fine, except for the fact that I'm up at 12 am talking to you."

"What? 12 am? I thought you said you were going to CA."

"Yeah, well it didn't really work out," I said.

There was a pause. "So how were those flesh eating zombie people with scary faces tonight?" he asked.

I laughed. "Those flesh eating zombie people with scary faces were good. Speaking of scary faces, how's yours?"

"What, by face?" I could tell he was smiling. "Me and my scary face are good."

"That's nice," I said. "Hey, look, I gotta go. I'm at Tony's place right now, and he'll probably kill me if he finds out I'm up this late. Seriously, you should have seen the look on his face when he found out what I was doing on Thursday."

"And what was you doing?" he asked.

"Er... I'll get back to you on that. Love ya. Bye."

"Wait, Lina-"

I pressed the end call button. At least now I would have time to think of an excuse. Because if Eric found out I was drinking? Well, let's just say Tony would be the least of my problems.

* * *

**As to the TV show reference: It's called "The Walking Dead". I, personally, have never watched it, but I saw an ad for it, and I thought it would be cool to have Lina be a fangirl of something.**

* * *

**Okay, I know I haven't updated in, like, ever, and you have EVERY right to hate me for that. If I was in your place, I would have been going (even more) crazy by this point. And because of your extremely long wait, this story is now my HIGHEST PRIORITY. It took me a while because I hit a major barrier for a long time. Please don't kill me.**

* * *

**~Delila Jules  
**


End file.
